Sundial Bridge
A functional work of art, the remarkable bridge, designed by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, spans the tree-lined, trout-filled Sacramento River in Redding’s Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The 700-foot/213-meter-long span is undeniably striking, with its glass block walkway and soaring white tower and suspension cables forming a functioning sundial—a nod to human creativity and ingenuity, both important themes of the 300-acre park.
Before you cross the bridge, explore the park near the interpretive center with a stroll through Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp, modeled after an old-time logging camp. Cool off in the mist-sprayed butterfly house and wait for colorful residents to flit by, then step inside the center to see some of Calatrava's initial sketches for the bridge.
"Cool off in the mist-sprayed butterfly house and wait for colorful residents to flit by, then step inside the center to see some of Calatrava's initial sketches for the bridge."
On the north side of the bridge, on the other side of the river, relax in Mediterranean-climate display gardens highlighting native plants at the Mcconnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, or rent bikes to follow paved paths along the waterfront. An inviting network of mountain bike trails explores surrounding open space, with broad views of the Sacramento River and beyond.
Northern California
Discover Shasta Cascade
California’s northeast corner is an outdoor-lover’s paradise, with safe-to-explore volcanoes, hushed forests, and trout-filled rivers. This is the place for blue-ribbon fishing, houseboats anchored in cool lakes, countless campgrounds, and inviting trails for hiking and mountain biking.
"When I first caught sight of it I was weary and 50 miles away and afoot. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since.” --Author John Muir, upon seeing Mount Shasta in 1874.
All this, plus friendly towns like Chico and Chester, and inviting rural farms in fertile lands near the Upper Sacramento River. Redding, the region’s largest city, makes a good base, with riverfront trails, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, and elegant Sundial Bridge, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
Siskiyou County
While most people think of the Bay Area as Northern California, Siskiyou County...
Spotlight: Lassen Volcanic National Park
Steaming sulphur vents, splattering mud pots, boiling springs—these lively features show that the earth is not quiet in this fascinating park in...
Begin your trip in the center of the state, home to the capital city of Sacramento. Like many cities, California’s state capital is undergoing an energetic renaissance. Young adults looking for an urban vibe are moving into this low-key city, with microbreweries, gastropubs, and trendy boutiques...
After so much wildness for so much of your trip, Eureka is an inviting and lively switch. This once rough-and-tumble seaport town, the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, has split-personality charm: a sense of history in the handsomely restored, Victorian-era Old...
Burney Falls
One of the most spectacular waterfalls in the state—if not the continent—this 129-foot-tall, fern-draped cascade seems to come out of nowhere....
Shasta Lake
There’s plenty of room to move on this 30,000-acre/12,140-hectare reservoir, the largest in California. A typical summer day finds the crystal...
Tehama Trail Farms & Ranches
Established by local farmers, the Tehama Trail meanders through rural communities, linking together nearly two dozen vineyards, orchards, and...
Mount Shasta
Soaring to 14,179 feet/4,322 meters high, this magnificent volcano scrapes the turquoise-blue sky, north of Redding, a totem from almost anywhere...
Flyfishing
Between the volcanic summits of Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen flow some of California’s most celebrated flyfishing rivers. Blue-ribbon waters lace the...
Shasta Cascade's Craft Breweries
Northern California was the wellspring of the craft beer movement, which can be loosely traced from...
Sure wine country is romantic, but now it’s a surprisingly great destination for families too, with a growing number of vineyards trading in elegant tasting rooms for kid-friendly fun zones that...
The Shasta Cascade region is a year-round playground for outdoor enthusiasts, and local events celebrate its natural bounty, from crawdads...
Oroville
From cool ways for your kids to learn about wildlife, to an insider’s look at a space station, to a chance to walk through a rain forest or learn about the night sky, there’s a...
Lava Beds National Monument
A surreal landscape sculpted by molten earth, Lava Beds National Monument contains volcanic tablelands punctuated by cinder cones, pit craters,...
From the snow-capped heights of Mount Shasta in California’s far north to Amboy Crater in the Mojave Desert, signs of California’s volcanic past—and present—dot the landscape. Explore these...
